Parents aren't just going to rock concerts, they are bringing their elementary aged kids.

By KARA YORIO

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

Lyss Stern happily remembers her trip to the Meadowlands arena for a concert in 1984. She was 11 and her favorite uncle took her to see Pink Floyd. She vividly recalls the lights, sounds, smells, food and colorful people around her.

Recently when her 9-year-old son, Jackson, said he wanted to see The Rolling Stones in concert, she thought about it, talked to some other mothers and made a decision.

"We’re going to take the kids," says Stern, who lives in Manhattan, founded the mommy blog divamoms.com and runs events for mothers in the tri-state area.

She and her son, along with a group of his friends and their mothers, will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night. They are unlikely to be the only kids at the show.

With more regularity, at least anecdotally, 8- to 12-year-old tweens (and, at times, children even younger) are staying up late in an adult world at rock concerts like Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, The Rolling Stones and The Who. Appropriate or not? Depends who you ask.

Ridgewood licensed clinical social worker Gloria Leder gave it some thought before deciding that as long as the adults with the child are behaving properly, "I don’t think there’s anything so terrible about it."

Parents could even be modeling responsible concert behavior for when the kids are old enough to head out to shows with groups of friends, she says. And, she adds, the kids get to see their parents in another light, in a role that isn’t focused on the child and his activities.

But fellow licensed clinical social worker Caaron Willinger, who sees clients in Englewood and Oradell, isn’t so sure.

"It’s really hard to make a broad assessment," she says.

Kids develop at different rates socially, emotionally and psychologically. But even going on a kid-by-kid basis, Willinger says 8 to 10 years old would probably be too young to be put in these kinds of overstimulating situations where "they might see things that upset them."

Parents, though, must judge their own child’s level of development and ability to handle the atmosphere.

"Seeing adults losing control — even if it’s just dancing around — can be frightening," Willinger says.

Stern feels her son is ready. Her advice to other parents debating attending a show with their child: "Go for it, if you have the opportunity."

Parents should be prepared, though, that not everyone will be thrilled to see them. Sue Sadik of Clifton has switched seats in the past when finding herself next to young children at concerts.

"If you’re there to be partying and having a good time, you kind of have to watch it," she says. "Even though you own that seat, you have to have a little respect for the people next to you."

Not everybody will be considerate or have the ability to change their seats. Willinger says parents should prepare their child for some of the things they might see at these shows.

While Sadik doesn’t have kids, she has experience seeing The Rolling Stones live and isn’t so sure it’s a place for children.

"A Stones concert is like an event — there’s something in the air, people are crazy," she says.

Stern isn’t worried that her fun will be diminished by having her son and his friends there.

"Watching them enjoy it, it’s going to be great," she says. "It’s going to make the night better for me."

Parents aren't just going to rock concerts, they are bringing their elementary aged kids.

Lyss Stern happily remembers her trip to the Meadowlands arena for a concert in 1984. She was 11 and her favorite uncle took her to see Pink Floyd. She vividly recalls the lights, sounds, smells, food and colorful people around her.

Recently when her 9-year-old son, Jackson, said he wanted to see The Rolling Stones in concert, she thought about it, talked to some other mothers and made a decision.

"We’re going to take the kids," says Stern, who lives in Manhattan, founded the mommy blog divamoms.com and runs events for mothers in the tri-state area.

She and her son, along with a group of his friends and their mothers, will be at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night. They are unlikely to be the only kids at the show.

With more regularity, at least anecdotally, 8- to 12-year-old tweens (and, at times, children even younger) are staying up late in an adult world at rock concerts like Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, The Rolling Stones and The Who. Appropriate or not? Depends who you ask.

Ridgewood licensed clinical social worker Gloria Leder gave it some thought before deciding that as long as the adults with the child are behaving properly, "I don’t think there’s anything so terrible about it."

Parents could even be modeling responsible concert behavior for when the kids are old enough to head out to shows with groups of friends, she says. And, she adds, the kids get to see their parents in another light, in a role that isn’t focused on the child and his activities.

But fellow licensed clinical social worker Caaron Willinger, who sees clients in Englewood and Oradell, isn’t so sure.

"It’s really hard to make a broad assessment," she says.

Kids develop at different rates socially, emotionally and psychologically. But even going on a kid-by-kid basis, Willinger says 8 to 10 years old would probably be too young to be put in these kinds of overstimulating situations where "they might see things that upset them."

Parents, though, must judge their own child’s level of development and ability to handle the atmosphere.

"Seeing adults losing control — even if it’s just dancing around — can be frightening," Willinger says.

Stern feels her son is ready. Her advice to other parents debating attending a show with their child: "Go for it, if you have the opportunity."

Parents should be prepared, though, that not everyone will be thrilled to see them. Sue Sadik of Clifton has switched seats in the past when finding herself next to young children at concerts.

"If you’re there to be partying and having a good time, you kind of have to watch it," she says. "Even though you own that seat, you have to have a little respect for the people next to you."

Not everybody will be considerate or have the ability to change their seats. Willinger says parents should prepare their child for some of the things they might see at these shows.

While Sadik doesn’t have kids, she has experience seeing The Rolling Stones live and isn’t so sure it’s a place for children.

"A Stones concert is like an event — there’s something in the air, people are crazy," she says.

Stern isn’t worried that her fun will be diminished by having her son and his friends there.

"Watching them enjoy it, it’s going to be great," she says. "It’s going to make the night better for me."